With a massive gathering like the Maha Kumbh, some challenges are inevitable. However, the Uttar Pradesh administration has been on their toes ensuring that the millions attending the world's largest religious gathering face minimal difficulties in terms of telecom connectivity. The Kumbh admin and telecom service providers have installed new towers and laid down additional optical fiber among other things in Prayagraj city area, which is set to witness record teledensity.
According to officials at the Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC), three disaster management centres have been established in the mela area to support emergency communications and ensure prompt response during any crisis situation.
"Mostly, all telecom providers have augmented their services here to ensure seamless communication for the millions of devotees and visitors.
"Three disaster management centres, operated by telecom service providers Airtel, BSNL, Jio and Vi, have been established in the mela area to support emergency communications and ensure prompt response during any crisis situation," a senior official at the ICCC told PTI.
"These centres have been equipped with the latest technology to provide vital communication channels in the event of natural or man-made disasters, ensuring the safety of attendees," he added.
Maha Kumbh, a mega-religious event organised every 12 years, is being held in Prayagraj from January 13 and will continue for 45 days. Over eight crore pilgrims have so far taken a holy dip at the Sangam -- the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers and another 10 crore are expected to take the dip on Mauni Amavasya on Wednesday.
The telecom operators are facing a unique challenge - millions of people gathered at a single spot, with sometimes over half a dozen people in a single square metre area, and many trying to use the internet.
According to Mahakumbh Nagar Additional District Magistrate Vivek Chaturvedi, having a seamless phone connection solves a lot of problems.
"The concern of losing your loved ones in the crowd is minimised because one can easily reach them on the phone since mobile phone penetration now is much higher than it used to be in earlier Kumbhs.
"Also digital payments reduce the need to carry cash, informing authorities in case of any mishap or untoward incident, everything becomes easy," he told PTI.
The Ministry of Telecom had also instructed the telecom service providers to deploy advanced technology and optimise networks to support the massive influx of people attending the gathering.
"We made special preparations to improve the mobile network and all the service providers agreed to install additional towers at Kumbh. At the same time, permanent towers have also been installed on government buildings outside the fair area, which will solve the problem of mobile connectivity in the city," he said.
To enhance public safety and convenience, telecom providers have set up 53 help desks across the mela area. They are supporting services such as the reporting of suspected fraud communications and blocking lost or stolen mobiles.
"Electro-magnetic radiation testing has been carried out to ensure that all telecom towers are operating within permissible radiation limits, safeguarding public health. Additionally, a Cell Broadcast Alert facility and a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) integrated platform are being utilised to send emergency alerts, disaster warnings, and general public awareness messages throughout the mela period," Chaturvedi said.
According to the Ministry of Telecom, 26 km of optical fibre has been laid throughout the Prayagraj city area, enhancing the backbone of the telecom infrastructure.
In addition, 328 new towers or masts have been installed, further strengthening coverage across the urban landscape.
A total of 575 new BTS across all mobile technologies have been deployed, in addition to an upgrade of 1,462 existing BTS units, ensuring robust and uninterrupted connectivity in the city during the mela.
At least 92 km of optical fibre cable (OFC) has been laid to provide high-speed, reliable network coverage. To cater to the massive demand, 78 CoWs (Transportable Towers) and 150 outdoor Small-cell solutions are being deployed, ensuring smooth communication in crowded zones.
An Airtel spokesperson said the company has installed 287 new sites, optimised over 340 existing sites and laid an additional 74 km of fibre in the city to enhance mobile coverage.
"Within the Kumbh mela premise, which spans several km, the company has deployed 78 active cell on wheels. These measures are ensuring seamless connectivity not only within the mela premise but also cover highways, railway stations, airport, hotels and high footfall areas across Prayagraj city," the spokesperson said.
"To ensure a quick response for any emergency, Airtel has established three war rooms in Jhusi, Arail and Sangam areas. A dedicated disaster management team has been constituted that is equipped with essential resources including extra generators, diesel, and critical equipment, to ensure rapid response in case of any network exigencies," the spokesperson said.
(With PTI Inputs)
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